The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast

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Florida Dynasty? Handshake Debate. Ekholm Ready, Hyman Done. May 29, 2025

Show notes

The Florida Panthers are headed to their third straight Stanley Cup Final after rallying past Carolina in Game 5, continuing the state of Florida's Eastern Conference dominance. Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner, showcasing the value of patience and great scouting. An awkward handshake moment between coaches Paul Maurice and Rod Brind’Amour sparked debate about who belongs in the post-series tradition. In the West, the Oilers prepare for Game 5 against Dallas with Mattias Ekholm expected to return from injury but Zach Hyman is likely out for the remainder of the playoffs. Evander Kane and Corey Perry could see increased icetime to try and offset the loss of Hyman as they have both impressed so far in these playoffs. 'Tis the season for Conn Smythe chatter, a year with no clear favourite emerging, but McDavid, Bouchard, Barkov, and Tkachuk are all in the mix. Could a goalie surprise?

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Oilers' Stars Explode, Stars' Stars Quiet, Panthers Ready to Pounce, Ask Ray and Dregs! May 26, 2025

Show notes

The Oilers crushed the Dallas Stars 6-1 in Game 3, with Connor McDavid's late second-period goal shifting momentum after a strong Dallas frame. Coach Pete DeBoer admitted that moment deflated the Stars, who have allowed too many prime chances and seen several key forwards go quiet. Stuart Skinner has outplayed Jake Oettinger so far, especially in Game 3, and looks composed and confident. A missed puck-over-glass call on Brett Kulak turned into a pivotal non-penalty, while Petrovic's crushing hit sidelined Connor Brown. DeBoer gave a lukewarm endorsement of Oettinger’s play, as the series enters Edmonton’s window of dominance under Kris Knoblauch in Games 4–7 (16–2 over the last two seasons). Out East, Carolina is down 3–0 to Florida, and with their stars underperforming, hope is fading. Ray highlights Florida’s depth and how players like Forsling and Mikkola—once overlooked—are thriving. Team USA captured the World Hockey Championship, honouring Johnny Gaudreau with a jersey tribute for his dedication to representing his country.

Plus, the complaint department and talkative benches in Ask Ray & Dregs Anything.

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Oilers Special Teams Melt Down in 3rd. Will East Final Shenanigans Continue? Shanahan, Ehlers, Tavares and More! May 22, 2025

Show notes

In Game 1 of the Western Final, the Oilers blew a 3–1 lead, taking three costly penalties that led to three Stars power play goals in a disastrous third period. Edmonton’s PK struggled and despite dominating early and looking faster, the Oilers were undone by Dallas’s depth, with Seguin and Duchene stepping up. In the East, Florida leads 1–0 after a chippy opener that saw Brad Marchand ejected after a shot from Gostisbehere sparked chaos. The Panthers look like the most complete team again, this year. Elsewhere, the Leafs have given the Islanders permission to speak with Brendan Shanahan, is the writing on the wall for the (current) Toronto exec on the expiring contract? In Winnipeg, the Jets want to keep pending UFA Ehlers, but he may test the market. And with John Tavares also approaching UFA status, questions remain about his future and whether the Leafs need to change course.

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Leafs Collapse, Panthers Pounce, Emotional Loss for Winnipeg & A WCF Rematch on Deck. May 19, 2025

Show notes

The Toronto Maple Leafs were humiliated by a score of 6-1 in Game 7 by the Panthers, capping off a meek exit with back-to-back home losses by a combined score of 12-2. Auston Matthews called out the team’s lack of cohesion and effort, while Ray questions the accountability at the top. Florida’s energy and depth overwhelmed Toronto, with the Leafs’ bottom six offering little resistance. Joe Woll wasn’t to blame, but goaltending and mental resilience seemed to be lacking. Offseason questions loom large: Shanahan’s future, whether or not Marner or Tavares return and a team in need of serious reimagining. In the West, Dallas eliminated Winnipeg in emotional fashion, with Mark Scheifele being highly involved in the game, playing just hours after his father’s passing. The Oilers-Stars conference final rematch is set, a superb coaching matchup with both teams looking strong and storylines galore. Oilers have Ekholm still to return from injury and the Stars have some forwards who could still explode offensively.

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Ray & Dregs LIVE! Coaching News Breaking around the NHL! May 14, 2025

Show notes

In an update to today's earlier episode, Ray and Dregs update the official announcements of Adam Foote to the Canucks and Rick Tocchet to the Flyers.

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Stars Aligning, Oilers Look to Close, Leafs Look to Score, Holland, Tocchet and more! May 14, 2025

Show notes

The Stars look like a complete team, with deadline pickups Granlund, Ceci (and Rantanen, of course) making big impacts as they took a 3-1 series lead over Winnipeg, who have now lost 9 straight road playoff games. Edmonton will try to close out Vegas on Wednesday. They have a 3 games to 1 advantage after a dominant shutout win on Monday, with Stu Skinner stepping up and the Oilers continuing their trend of peaking in games 4-7 of playoff series. Florida vs. Toronto might look like a coin flip on paper, but Game 5 feels like a must-win for the Leafs. Marner and Matthews need to step up offensively, and Craig Berube might consider a Morgan Rielly return to the PP unit. Ken Holland is set to become GM of the LA Kings, opting to stay involved and in the West. Rick Tocchet is a hot coaching name, Seattle and Boston have interest, but Philly seems the most likely fit. Meanwhile, Vancouver is zeroing in on their next coach, with Manny Malhotra, Adam Foote, and Washington assistant Mitch Love in the mix.

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Controversy in Dallas, Chaos in Florida. Vegas tries to even up, Capitals try to stay alive. May 12, 2025

Show notes

Dallas takes a 2-1 series lead over Winnipeg after a controversial and confounding winning goal that has the Jets fuming. Mason Marchment’s tap of an official sparks debate over discipline standards, while Mikko Rantanen continues his playoff dominance. The Leafs and Panthers got nasty in Game 3, with questions swirling around OEL’s hit, Domi’s late-game penalty, and whether Matthews is in his own head. Sergei Bobrovsky has locked in after a rough start, and Berube may consider shuffling Toronto’s lines. Stu Skinner gets the start again for the Oilers, who coughed up Game 3 with defensive misplays, while Vegas looks to seize momentum, possibly without Mark Stone. Plus, Game 4 between the Canes and Caps feels like a must-win for Washington, who must solve Carolina’s tight defensive structure and home-ice dominance in order to keep the series alive.

Plus, in Ask Ray and Dregs Anything... McDavid and Draisaitl - together or apart? The Berube effect on the Leafs and is one series simply lacking excitement?

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Wild Night in Vegas, Caps Draw Even, Leafs Look to Pounce, Jets Look to Rebound, Quenneville Returns. May 09, 2025

Show notes

The Oilers earned a 2-0 series lead after winning a wild Game 2 OT thriller over Vegas, with McDavid and Draisaitl quiet until the game-winner, while depth continues to carry Edmonton. In Washington, Logan Thompson shut the door in the third to even the series with Carolina, who now head home to a rink where they’ve dominated all year. Toronto looks to take control of their series in Game 3 vs. Florida, with Nylander continuing his stellar play. Winnipeg hopes for a bounce-back in Game 2 against Dallas after a flat opener, while Mikko Rantanen stays red-hot for the Stars. Elsewhere, Joel Quenneville takes over as head coach in Anaheim, publicly owning his past failures in the 2010 Blackhawks scandal, and in New Jersey, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald made it clear major roster changes are coming after a disappointing season.

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Oilers are Comeback Kings, Panthers Need to Rebound, Jets/Stars Ready to Roll and a Canadian Reunion at the WHC. May 07, 2025

Show notes

The Oilers continued their playoff surge with a 4-2 comeback win over Vegas in Game 1, led by Corey Perry’s momentum-shifting goal and dominant second-period play. The Leafs also took Game 1 against Florida, though controversy surrounds the unpenalized hit by Sam Bennett that concussed goalie Anthony Stolarz. Huge weekend Game 7s saw Winnipeg stun St. Louis with a buzzer-beater and double OT winner, while Dallas mounted a third-period comeback to eliminate Colorado, giving coach Pete DeBoer a record ninth straight Game 7 win. The LA Kings parted ways with GM Rob Blake after repeated playoff exits. Meanwhile, Crosby, MacKinnon, and Fleury are all set to join Team Canada at the World Championships in Sweden.

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The Carousel is Rolling, NYR Hires Sullivan, Cooper's Future, Eliminations Abound & 2 Series Remain May 02, 2025

Show notes

The New York Rangers have hired Mike Sullivan as head coach in what’s expected to be one of the richest deals in NHL history. Tampa Bay’s elimination by Florida raises questions about Jon Cooper’s future with the team and speculation about other markets he might consider coaching in if a split were to happen. Edmonton bounced back from a tough start to their series to eliminate the Kings in six, but Ray isn’t convinced their current levle of play will be enough to get past Vegas. The Leafs closed out the Sens in 6 games thanks to Nylander’s clutch play and a bold move to elevate Pacioretty, who delivered the series-winner. Winnipeg faces St. Louis in Game 6 without Scheifele or Ehlers, and controversy still swirls around the hit that caused Scheifele’s injury. Meanwhile, Dallas and Colorado are headed for a can’t-miss Game 7, with Ray making a case for how the Avs could steal it on the road.

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